Continuing our opening dining suggestions for 2017 (see the back story in last week’s RANTS), we stay in a breakfast mode this week with Clearwater’s Wildflower Café on Fort Harrison Avenue– a bit on the pricey side but with some not so mundane breakfast specialties including a couple daily quiches and occasional offering of fried green tomatoes.

Kiran Patel: Clearwater could use another six like him

Health care magnate Kiran Patel is obviously a disciple of urban planner Daniel Burnham who famously proclaimed “make no small plans”. Patel, like Burnham, does not think small. His Wyndham Hotel on Clearwater Beach (Presidential Suites at 4K per night we’re told) is about to open for business. Now moving on from that not so small project, Patel plans to convert the former Clearwater Christian College site into a center for osteopathic learning. We like so many Clearwater residents, hated to see the college close its doors but Patel’s proposal could create a world class draw to the magnificent site on Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. What a mini-season for the bay area! In addition to the traditional holiday visits to families, we’ve had the St. Pete and Outback Bowls and, this week, the national championship game - tourism on steroids.

2. You need to tip your cap to the crew at Raymond James Stadium. Three major games within ten days – quite an accomplishment.

3. Word on the street is a new buyer for the old 1100 Building at MLK and Cleveland is waiting in the wings to be the building’s savior. Pardon us if we remain skeptical.

4. There are only a few minor elections in 2017, but some big contests coming up in 2018 – governor and U.S. senator among others. The governor’s race promises to be crowded but the best thing the Republican Party can do is to focus on ridding the state of the empty suit we’ve been saddled with in the senate for the past 16 years.

5. You’ve lived in the bay area (or anywhere else) for a long time if that big mahogany cabinet in your living room with the small black and white picture bore names like Motorola, Philco, RCA, Westinghouse or Zenith.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. The Hall of Fame announces their new entrants next week. If we had a ballot (and we, of course, don’t), it would include Jeff Bagwell, Vlad Guerrero, Mike Mussina, Tim Raines, Pudge Rodriguez and Lee Smith.

7. In a related note, the next three HOF ballots each include a slam dunk first ballot guy – Chipper Jones (2018), Mo Rivera (2019) and Derek Jeter (2020).

8. Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers were the lead actors in M*A*S*H but the show featured an extremely strong supporting cast, among them Jamie Farr (Klinger), Edward Winter (Col. Flagg) and Father Mulcahy portrayed so well by William Christopher. One of TV’s most famous priests died last week at age 84..

9. Upon further review: a few weeks back (RANTS – Dec. 11, 2016), we mentioned that former USF and now Oregon head coach Willie Taggart would not have cupcakes like Cincinnati and UConn on his schedule. It appears that Southern Utah and Wyoming will take that role next year – but both teams were .500 or better albeit in weaker conferences. Sandwiched in between the two “should wins” is Big Ten power Nebraska fresh off a nine-win season.

10. You would think Charter Communications could have come up with a better name to replace Bright House than Spectrum – which sounds like a nefarious organization in a James Bond flick. That being said, they have a couple tech guys named Dennis and Jim who should win some sort of Nobel Prize for their expertise and patience with low tech folks like most of us baby boomers.

NFL Notes:

We’re sorry to see Gary Kubiak, a solid NFL coach, leave the sidelines but given his health history over the past five years, it’s understandable although a big loss for the Broncos. As if their quarterback didn’t create enough drama this season, the 49ers are looking for their fifth coach in just over two years – firing Chip Kelly after just one season along with the GM to boot. In Chicago, the Bears apparently are sticking with John Fox to oversee their complete unraveling. The Bears are 9-23 in Fox’s two seasons in the Windy City. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots have had the same coach for 16 seasons and the Pittsburgh Steelers have had one less coach (three) than the above mentioned 49ers over the past 47 years!

SNEAK PEEK AT NEXT WEEK: GETTING READY TO BREATH A SIGH OF RELIEF